Authors: Niki Settimo
“So can I ask some questions now?”
“You can ask me whatever you like.”
“Where are you from?”
“Right here in Florida. I actually live at home since I’m only twenty minutes from the school.”
“That’s awesome. So what about your family?”
“I’m an only child. So it’s just me and my parents. My parents own a restaurant called Rose Tattoo. My mom’s a baker and my dads a chef.”
“Rose Tattoo? As in the Dropkick Murphy’s song?”
This girl continues to impress me. And I tell her just that.
Laughing, she says “So I’m guessing you’re Irish?”
“You guess right.”
We continue our friendly banter for another twenty minutes, and when I finish my burger, I notice she barely touched her salad.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
“No not really. I had a big lunch.”
“Do you want any of my fries?”
“Oh no, I’m totally fine! Thank you though.”
We get the check and I pay for us, and ignore her attempts to give me money for a meal she barely touched. As we stand up to leave, she falters a little and I go to reach for her hand to steady her. “Are you okay?!”
“Yea, sorry. I just tripped. I can be a klutz sometimes.”
Somehow, I doubt that. Especially not with the way she can skate.
We make our way out to the car and she gives me directions to her place. When we pull up, I go to open her door for her, and walk her up the three flights of stairs to her apartment.
“This was really fun Elli. I’m really happy you agreed to come out tonight.”
“Me too Dylan. I think this is the first Saturday night I’ve done something besides work. So thank you.”
“Really? Well we’re going to have to change that.”
“Are we now?”
“I still have one question, remember?”
“How could I have possibly forgotten?”
“Will you go out with me again Elli?”
She grins up at me and says “So I have the option to say no?”
Recalling when she said that earlier, I smirk down at her and reply “Technically, but what fun would that be?”
“I think I would like that, Mr. Hockey.”
“Can I ask one more question?”
“It would seem you’re all out of questions.”
“Winner gets an extra question.”
“I don’t remember that being part of the deal.”
“I’m changing the rules.”
“Well, by all means then.”
Instead of asking, I act upon it. I hold her face in one hand as my other rests on the small of her back while I do what I’ve wanted to do all night. And when she allows me to kiss her without pulling back, I decide not to push her too far, but make it last a few moments longer. When she pulls back with a smile on her face, I know I did the right thing. In a soft voice, her brown eyes continue staring into mine and she breaks the silence.
“Um, I don’t think that was a question.”
“I decided the answer was yes.”
She’s just smiling. And I’m pretty sure my smile matches hers. We’re in a comfortable silence, and I’m loving every second of it.
“Goodnight Dylan.”
“Goodnight Elli.”
She opens her door, looks over her shoulder and smiles before the door comes between us. I walk back down to my jeep with a permanent grin on my face.
Elli
I close the door, and lean against it as I slide down until my but hits the floor. Not to mention I’m grinning like a fool. Out of no where, Tegan comes flying at me.
“ELLI TELL ME EVERYTHING. OH MY GOSH LOOK AT YOU! YOU’RE LIKE, GLOWING. EEEEEEP. DETAILS GIRL!”
“Okay, okay! Calm down! First of all, thanks for ditching me!”
“Oh please! I was not going to be third wheel while you guys made googly eyes all night, thank you very much. Now tell me everything!”
She grabs my hand, yanks me up off the floor and leads me over to the couch where I recap the night. From our game of pool, the questions we asked each other, and a few things I learned about him.
“He’s different Tegan. I’ve never been looked at like the way he looks at me. It’s weird.”
“Well embrace it girl! You deserve the best!”
“Well so do you Tegan!”
“Yea, yea now tell me. What did you order to eat?”
“I really wasn’t hungry.”
“Bull shit Elli.”
“I’m serious! I didn’t want anything, but he made me get something, so I ordered a salad.”
“A salad Elli?! There is no way you’re not hungry right now. We had lunch at like 2 o’clock. It’s now 11.”
I look down and think this over. I really should have eaten something. But it’s too late now. I’ll just wait for breakfast.
“I’m a little hungry. But I wasn’t when we were at the restaurant.”
“Well I made turkey burgers and there’s extra. So go have one.”
“It’s too late to eat. I’ll just have a big breakfast.”
“Elli…..”
“Tegan, really. I’m fine.”
“Alright. But you have to tell me. Did he kiss you?”
I bite my lower lip and shake my head yes. And just like I knew she would, Tegan starts jumping up and down on the couch clapping her hands and making the weirdest noises.
“AHHHHHH. I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! How was it?!!”
“Amazing Tegan. I mean, I don’t know if I was any good cause it was my first kiss, but I’m pretty sure he set the bar extremely high.”
She stops jumping. “Hold the phone! That was your first kiss?! Elli! This calls for celebration! Lets go out for some italian ices!”
“But it’s too late to eat anything!”
“Non-sense! Live a little! Let’s go, I’m driving!”
Since this is a losing battle, and there is no way I’ll be able to fall asleep right now, due to the fact I’m probably going to overthink everything that just happened, I let Tegan drag me out. When we get to Froggy’s Ice, Tegan orders our favorites; hers being Cookie Dough and mine
Mint Chocolate Chip
. We find a spot on a nearby bench and Tegan talks my ear off about how she can’t believe I’ve never been kissed. As she rambles on, I look across the street from where we’re sitting and see a group of girls pull up to the bar. When they get out of the car, it’s easy to see that if they bend even an inch in those dresses, they’re going to be revealing a little too much. Even if I was as thin as them, I still wouldn’t dress like that. When a group of guys walk out of the club to meet them, I realize its the rest of Dylan’s team.
Interrupting Tegan, I ask “Do you think it’s a joke?”
“Do I think what’s a joke?”
“Dylan actually liking me. Even just a little.”
“Elli, why would that be a joke?”
“Tegan, Dylan could easily get a girl like that,” I nod my head over to the girls walking into the bar. “Why would he want anything to do with me?”
“A girl like what? One of those bimbos? Are you crazy Elli? You’re ten times the girl they will ever be. Unlike them, you actually respect yourself and care for others. I know those kinds of girls. All they care about is how many times they can get laid in a week."
“I don’t just mean someone who’s easy. Just someone who's skinnier, and doesn’t carry around my kinds of baggage. I'm screwed up Tegan, I’ll be the first to admit it.”
"I don't know why you think so little of yourself Elli. It makes me really upset. You're so amazing and whoever doesn't think so is out of their mind and doesn't deserve any of your attention. Everyone has baggage."
I let that mull over for a few minutes as I watch the group disappear into the bar. Tegan goes quiet which is a first for her. Out of no where my phone goes off and I see Mr. Hockey light up my screen. A smile creeps up on me as I look over at Tegan urging me to pick it up.
"Hello?”
“You said you don’t have class till Monday, right?”
“Well hello to you to Dylan.”
“Shush you! Answer the question.”
“Yes, no class till Monday.”
“Good, I’ll pick you up at 10am. Wear jeans and a t-shirt.”
“Wait where…”
“Night Elli!”
Click.
“Well, what’d he say?”
“He’s picking me up at 10 and told me to wear jeans and a t-shirt.”
“Oohhh I wonder what he has planned! This is so exciting!”
“Should I be freaking out right now?”
“Yes! Out of excitement! Not the other kind!”
Walking back to the car I decide to text Dylan to try to get some kind of information out of him.
Me: Can I at least have a hint?
Mr. Hockey: Nope.
Me: You’re killing me here!
Mr.Hockey: Not a fan of surprises?
Me: I’m not sure, I’ve never had one like this!
Mr. Hockey: Well Good thing this is the best one ever.
Me: You talk big game sir.
Mr. Hockey: Don’t doubt me. Rest up, you’re going to need it!
Me: Now I’m scared.
Mr. Hockey: Nighty night!;P
Me: Good night:D
I tuck my phone away and try not to think about what Dylan has planned.
Elli
“SERIOUSLY? No way!”
“You said this month was going to be hectic on you, so I thought you should spend the day letting loose.”
“I’ve always wanted to go outdoor paintballing! How did you come up with this?”
“My buddy owns the place. It’s usually closed on Sundays, but he gave me the keys. When you said you were an artist, I figured paint balling was the closest I could get to do something artistic without embarrassing myself.”
Laughing to myself and jumping out of the car when he puts it into park, I run to the door and wait for him to catch up.
“You’re never going to let me open the door for you are you?”
“No time for chivalry! Come on!”
He laughs as I urge him to open the door, and as soon as he opens it, I rush in. We grab equipment, and he fills two guns with multi colored paintballs as I put on all my gear.
“Okay so what are the rules?”
“No rules. Total freedom. Just here to let loose, remember?
“You afraid I’m going to beat you?”
He smirks as he says “Yea, that’s definitely why.”
We head outside to the field and he points to the clock overhead.
“So, we start on opposite sides of the field and when the clock goes off, let the games begin.”
“Wait till the clock starts to kick your ass. Got it.”
“Talking a big game huh?”
“You’ve beaten me on the ice, and at pool. Both of which I had no chance at winning. I need redemption so are we going to sit here talking, or play, Rath?”
“Yes ma’am! Wait what’s your last name?”
“Uccello. It means bird in Italian. Now come on! Lets get our paint on!”
“Elli Uccello. I love it.”
“Dylannnnnnn!”
“Okay, okay! Go to your side and I’ll start the clock!”
We make our way to opposite ends of the field and my adrenaline is pumping. I can’t believe I’m doing this right now. As soon as the buzzer goes off, I head to the stack of tires a few feet away from me. I peek around the side, and decide to take my chances and make my way to the barrels to my right. As soon as I’m hidden, I look out to see Dylan making his way to the stack of hay on his side of the field. I grab my gun, aim, and cover his arm in splotches of green. He’s totally taken by surprise and I send him a mocking wave, wiggling my fingers with a smirk that’s masked by my helmet. Before I know it, he lifts his gun up and aims for my torso, as I quickly duck behind the barrels. When I feel it’s safe, I run back towards the tires and I hear Dylan’s gun go off. Guess it wasn’t so safe, because now my back is a pretty shade of yellow and blue. It stings a little, but it’s bearable.
When I make it back to the tires, all of a sudden I feel light headed and my vision goes black.
Not now, not now, please not now
. I give myself a second to recover from my dizzy spell, and take a few deep breaths. When I feel like I’m able enough, I look out to the field, and Dylan is no where to be seen. All of a sudden I feel a tap on my shoulder and Dylan is next to me, imitating my wave from earlier. I give a little scream and take off for the planks of wood that have little spy hole cutouts.
For the next hour, we cover each other like used paint palettes. When the buzzer goes off, signifying we’re out of time, I catch my breath and walk out to the middle of the field. Dylan comes out from behind the stack of tires with his hands raised in surrender.
“Are you surrendering Rath?”
He takes off his helmet and I follow suit. I can’t believe how much fun I just had. “Well since I’m out of ammo, yea, I guess I am.”